Josephine's restaurant

In 1965, Alfonso Sarayba, Sr., whom family and friends called Ponso, bought 8 hectares of fishpond in the town of Kawit, Cavite. Fishponds were considered especially good sources of income, but Ponso wanted to transform his fishpond into something different. What he had in mind was building a housing subdivision over land he was going to reclaim from it.

Despite numerous obstacles and relatives' thinking him crazy, Ponso was not discouraged. He borrowed money from friends to raise enough capital for his business plan. This was considered a pioneer undertaking then because land reclamation was not the usual practice at the time.

During the construction of the housing subdivision, someone thought of opening an eatery. The fish were plentiful and the workers needed to eat. Ponso opened the restaurant and named it after his wife, Josephine, whom many called Josie.

On December 22, 1966, the first Josephine Restaurant opened to the public. The people came in droves. They were eager to leave the hectic city life in Manila to enjoy the provincial air that boosted their appetite for fresh seafood.

Josie took over the entire business and imparted her culinary skills to her growing number of employees. JOSEPHINE RESTAURANT, The Home of Fresh Seafood became the family's major line of business.

Encouraged by the restaurant's success, Ponso and Josie soon opened the resort in May 1967. It was constructed on the opposite side of the fishpond from the restaurant. Josephine Restaurant later branched out to the cities of Cubao in 1972, Baclaran in 1973, Pasay in 1976, Makati in 1979, Greenhills in 1986 and Tagaytay in 1995.

Josephine Resort was also one of the first resorts outside of Manila. Schoolchildren from the city jammed into schoolbuses to take the historical tour of Kawit, where Philippine Independence was declared on June 12, 1898. They also enjoyed going to Josephine Resort for row boating, horseback riding, biking, swimming, bowling, skating and eating at Josephine Restaurant.

Throughout their years in business, Ponso and Josie met politicians, show business personalities and business moguls but always kept a low profile. Josie tried to teach her family the value of humility and frugality.

Today, 40 years later, Josephine Restaurant ages gracefully with time. There still is that provincial gentility people seek out and enjoy at Josephine Restaurant. The fishpond is especially placid as it reflects those famous Philippine sunsets. Patrons view it best from the restaurant balcony, the same balcony where Ponso used to sit and enjoy the fine home cooking tradition of his wife Josie.

(taken from the Josephine's restaurant official website @ www.josephinerestaurant.com/)

What are moral lessons of the story?

Ponso invested on something that is saleable and can be a source of a fixed income. And turning his business into something more profitable. His own initiative despite negative comments from people detracting his idea of turning his fishpond into an eatery which eventually turned into a restaurant and expanded into several branches of a resort and restaurants in Kawit, Cavite and Tagaytay.

Close supervision is an important factor in running a business especially in rendering services and products like food and ambience for guests that will come back for more.

You will never know that your bright ideas that seemed so dim for others will become a big one. So bright that it is like a star shining amidst the darkness.

For reservations please contact:

Josephine Kawit: Panamitan, Kawit Cavite. | Tel No.: (+6346) 484-5701/484-5702
Josephine Tagaytay: Tagaytay City | Tel No.: (+6346) 413.1801
info@josephinerestaurants.com

House of Minis

Why is “it " called House of Minis? New and curious guests of the restaurant do frequently ask.

American steaks were prominent in Metro Manila during the late 1960's and 1970's. American sized steaks were so big that the Filipinos could not finish eating it all. So the owners of House of Minis restaurant saw it was a big waste and they decided to re-invent the American sized steaks and introduce the concept of Filipino taste and appetite. So there it was, the size of the American steaks were reduced or "minimized" and the steaks were served at House of Minis were called "Mini - steaks". As it is today, therefore it was called "House of Minis".

House of Minis was also known for short-heighted crew or employees in their early days. That's why they were thought and known for their name. House of Minis was also known for serving "steaks in sizzling plates". They were the first to this in the world and in the country.


History

House of Minis opened in 1971 with an enough amount of capital. It was the first fast food in Park Square, Makati. In those days a mini-sized steak costs around 50 Pesos.

In 1977 the House of Minis management opened its first fine dining restaurant at Green Hills shopping center.

In 1990's were the fast food era flourished and opened its several fast food version branches in Shangri-La mall and extending at Glorietta 4 Food choices.

2000 and until to the present: House of Minis opened their second fine dining branch at E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave Barangay Ugong, Pasig city and fast food branches at Gateway, Cubao Quezon city.


The Interview

The Man behind the widely acclaimed House of Minis restaurant is Mr. Manolo Sequia, the Owner and founder.

The vision of the company and its want to become in the future, for the next 2, 5, 10 years

It is to expand, gain profit, and to be widely known in the metro. We have been in the restaurant business for 30 plus years. We have also other branches as well.

The economy nowadays is unpredictable. We hope to see our business to continue and flourish within the next few years and not to depreciate.



What are your restaurant’s Target market and their needs, taste preferences, spending habits, paying capacity, expectations, etc?

Manolo Sequia: Our target is the consumers or guests that can pay or able to afford our product and service. Unlike before during our old glory years our main targets are the Class A to class B customers. Food is always saleable, aside from that guests want it to be good food and satisfying. And food can be a need or want.

Expectations from them exceed from their own after they consume our product which has a positive feedback.

Most of the time spending habits changes because of the season or status of the economy. For example, whenever the Christmas season comes in, consumers are willing to spend because of the Christmas spirit.


How does one intend to reach your the target market? who can help?

M.S.: Customers or guests. They help us by “Word of mouth”.

Word of mouth is important because it like a inevitable, cannot be stopped and plus it is an advertisement for free and an opportunity for the restaurant to flourish and be known for a good reputation. Like a rumor, that can pass on and go anywhere.

We have also other branches. It is based upon the paying capacity of the customer.

Our other branches can be considered as fast food because of our setup.

Besides at Green Hills and E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave House of Minis can be also found in Gateway, Shangri-la and Glorietta.


How does the company intend to package its products and services to the satisfaction of its target market?

M.S.:Satisfaction always comes in good service and good food. We also accept bookings or reservations and catering.

It is important to perform and give good service. It is one of the reasons why our guests still keeps coming back aside from our specialties.

Our usual set-up is the fine-dining restaurant set-up.



Where does the company intend to excel? What image does it want to project? Does it want to be known as a specialty restaurant that has gained good reputation for a certain specialty? Does it want to excel as a food chain ?

M.S.:We tend to excel by expanding our branches. We want our consumers to see as a fine dining restaurant and also a specialty restaurant.

Our main specialty is more on steaks, American style or Filipino style.

We have been very old in the restaurant business that our guests or consumers keep coming back for our service and specialties.

We want to maintain our establishment as a fine-dining restaurant. We are trying to penetrate the fast-food industry by lowering our prices and having several branches with a fast-food classification in order to reach other consumers.


What hinders the business from achieving its goals and targets? Weaknesses such as lack of promotions, economic factors such as recession, cancelled booking due to calamities?

M.S.: There have been many bad instances in the past few years such as mad cow disease. (Between 1990s and until 2007) In some parts of Green Hills shopping center, several fire calamities and bomb threats happened, that made our business sales per day weakened because there were no guests to entertain because of those incidents. And those incidents had an aftermath or after effect because we had no customers, who fear of being blasted, and stop our operations because disturbances or interruptions such as of safety-engineering inspections.

Economic recession was one of the factors and still affecting our business. Unlike before, long years ago there were so many avid guests that come and eat in our restaurant compared from today.


What strategies and remedies are necessary to correct internal weaknesses, deal with the external threats and improve over-all company performance?

M.S.: Business as usual. You can’t stop people from leaving the restaurant because of fear or panic. We just continue our operations until the atmosphere resumes itself.

We advertise by expanding. Customers or guests help us by “Word of mouth” or customer feed backs; Which is still proven to be effective. Look at us now and we are still in the restaurant business.


What are the resources and how much are needed to implement the strategies?

M.S.: These resources are the manpower resources which require the close supervision of the managers and supervisors. And to expand, it requires a large sum of money that can go up to a million.


Do people in the organization especially the managers and supervisors understand and internalize the company goals, vision, mission, corporate strategies and philosophy as well as values?

M.S.: Yes of course. My wife, children and kinsman worked for me as managers and supervisors. And I say to them “Always remember good service because it is a great deal of help to us”.


Have they participated in the making of the corporate goals and strategies? Do they recognize these goals?

M.S.: My family was the one who initiated the expansion in other malls. And they were waiting for my approval. And I did give it because our branch in green hills is helpless if we just continue staying here our business will die.



Is there assurance of their support and commitment to such goals?

M.S.: Yes it is one of our secret that we still stay in the industry. Close supervision is important because when problem arises, you as a manager are there to fix the problem and negotiate with people (guests and employees).

To our new employees (non-managerial position), we just tell them to perform their best so they can stay, fewer problems and maintain their jobs or we fire them after three months of observation.


How can you help our dearly beloved country and countrymen?

M.S.: Is to be an example or a good model of a restaurant in the country. House of Minis mission is to provide good quality service and product. Besides that, to provide jobs for the jobless but skillful and hardworking Filipinos. House of Minis now provides jobs for 79 individual who are supporting their families. (end)


If you want to dine at House of Minis restaurant located at the following banches:

* Garden court, Basement of Shangri-la Palza, Mandaluyong city (Fast food)
* Glorietta 4 Food Choices, Ayala center, Makati city (Fast food)
* Food express 3rd level Gateway Mall, Araneta center, Cubao, Quezon city (Fast food)
* Level A, Shoppesville, Green Hulls Shopping Center, San Juan city (Fine dining)
* 104 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Ugong, Pasig city (Fine dining)


For the fine dining restaurant you will have to bring at least 1200 pesos per couple to fully enjoy their meal. And for the fast food set-up… it will only cost you around less than 300 pesos per individual.